Hello all hailing from Current! This is my first ever review for the Otaku channel, and I'm reviewing a pair of shoes by the company Onmyodo.
Onmyodo is a company officially founded in 2006 and centralized in Altoona, PA. Laura Bossi, founder and president of Onmyodo, designs shoes inspired by anime, manga and Japanese pop culture and is also working on hats and shirts. They have separate shoe designs for men and women; I was sent the beautiful Kanso pair.
They definitely cost more than the average shoes you wear everyday, but as far as I can tell there aren't any other companies that make footwear that cater to the Otaku generation. Laying down the cash to score some exceptionally stylish shoes would be well worth it.
I open the box to reveal a shiny little bundle
As impressed as I am with the shoes, I must admit that I love the bag they came with. The lettering couldn't have been designed better.
The fresh shoes glow with their suede silkiness.
I'm going to assume that the flower print is supposed to remind of a kimono, which it does beautifully. The gold bordering on the flowers is subtle, but adds a stunning effect on closer inspection, glittering in the sun and catching any eye that comes across it. The stitching is beautiful as well which can be shown with...
... this picture. My camera isn't the absolute best, so some of my pics are fuzzies. The pattern on this side of the shoe is also present on the back. The only problem I forseeo happening is that the points of the black material could possibly turn up as the stitching doesn't go quite to the end, but I doubt it would be noticeable.
I was very impressed with the sole of the shoe. Fan patterns surround a dragon and the Onmyodo logo as well as some characters I can't decipher. I would go tromping around in mud to leave an awesome print, but that means they would get dirty and there's no way that's happening.
I was also sent a shirt with the female mascot, Aiko, on the front. She has no face! I wonder if the Noh got to her.
The top of the shoe has little flaps of the kimono print that cover the elastic which can stretch very generously if you're a person of wide feet.
They're VERY comfortable. I feel like I could troll the streets of Akihabara all day in these kicks. The only downside I found was that they aren't the kind of shoes that can be worn without socks. The little points that meet at the top by the elastic dig into my skin, but wearing socks isn't that big of a deal. Plus I should wear socks anyway seeing as I'm white as snow, and my camera would break if it had to take a picture of my bare skin.
And what kind of Japan-related review would this be without a calico cat?
I swear she tried getting in every pic.
And then the shoes... called to me. They demanded to have their awesomeness challenged. I decided to pit them against various thing.
Kanso vs. Chili Pepper Plant
Kanso wins
Kanso vs. Wooden Swing.
Kanso wins.
Kanso vs. Stone Pig
Draw (Stone pig displayed an amazing show of immovability)
Kanso vs. Apple Tree
Apple Tree wins (Apples hurt when they fall on your head)
Kanso vs. Roof
Kanso wins (but Caitie loses, cuz I'm afraid of heights)
Caitie tested, Kitteh approved
Kitty glaring at me balefully as I take pictures of shoes instead of paying attention to her.
And yes they are awesome for some rest and relaxation time.
All in all an awesome pair of shoes with influences that I drool over everyday. Anime is over-present in many of their shoes (such as Ashioto and Neko) as well as classic Japanese art themes (Chinpin and Tatsu ne). If you're interested in sporting some geeky shoes, I most definitely suggest Onmyodo for all your Otaku desires.
Check out their site to find things to put on your odo.
Thanks to Laura and team for sending me the most awesome of shoes and for allowing me to review them for Current. Live well and prosper!
Also thanks to Gabe for pointing these guys in my direction and setting everything up. You're a gummy bear.
This first shirt is HTML for "End War," an appropriate message for the person who's mindful of the unnecessary worldwide conflicts that result in suffering. You'll know when you're talking to another nerd when someone sees your shirt and smiles.
This shirt was created with Maine's struggle against the anti-gay marriage campaign in mind. Despite the No On One group coming out on the bottom, this shirt is appropriate for any time. Love is love, and should be allowed for everyone. Say it loud with Legalize It!
This shirt is a bit more cryptic. Binary for "I <3 You" No, I can't read binary, but I can appreciate its geek factor. And if you decide to get this shirt, I recommend hanging it. After leaving it folded for a while, some of the bigger white circles cracked a bit.
Thanks! (Argh...)
Thanks! (Argh...)
